A frontal bear hug was one of our ten basic breaks in Gosuku-ryu. When you see your opponent go for a bear hug...

1. step back into a solid front stance and double palm strike into your opponents obliques just above the hips (we hit the hips for training, which will accomplish your goal, but DAMN it hurts to get your sides popped. We had one guy that couldn't get that so I learned a lot the hard way. After many verbal requests for correction I finally had to return the favor, which got the point across. Anyway...). 2. Immediately after the strike, grab the obliques and pull them toward you, bringing up your back leg for a knee to the groin.

Granted, this move doesn't account for tying up their arms, but these were taught to us to provoke immediate reaction from attacks more than anything else. On the other hand, if someone actually tried to go for the frontal bear hug on you, you can figure they probably have the size, temperment, and mental prowess of an ogre, so if you hit them hard and fast enough, they probably wouldn't react quickly enough to hit you anyway.

I think you are making this too complicated. It isn't like someone can sneak up on you to give you a FRONTAL bear hug (a rear one may be different). so why dont you HIT THE BASTARD! this can include, kicking him square in the genitals, poking his eyes out, punching him repeatedly, kicking him in the knee(s), and continuing to do so until the attacker is neutralized. But if by some chance you do end up in a frontal bear hug, then I would recomend head butts, knees to the groin, and hooking your legs around his knees so you cant be slammed to the pavement.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JKD Blast:I think you are making this too complicated. It isn't like someone can sneak up on you to give you a FRONTAL bear hug (a rear one may be different). so why dont you HIT THE BASTARD! this can include, kicking him square in the genitals, poking his eyes out, punching him repeatedly, kicking him in the knee(s), and continuing to do so until the attacker is neutralized. But if by some chance you do end up in a frontal bear hug, then I would recomend head butts, knees to the groin, and hooking your legs around his knees so you cant be slammed to the pavement. [/QUOTE]

I totally agree with you. Like I said, we used the breaks as a tool to learn to react more than anything else. The frontal bear hug technique is a good example of why. On the other hand, I've used the reverse bear hug technique before and it works brilliantly. The other eight are all pretty effective as well. It wasn't until my last test that I really learned the point behind these. My sensei made the uke throw a grab, and we could use anything we wanted to get away, except the technique we had been taught. We each did it very well, and that's when the light bulb turned on. I think I may start a thread about some of them; I know many styles don't teach stuff like this and it's cool to know. But I digress....